That's The Way The Barrel Rolls
by VixenReborn
Summary: Finding hidden treasure isn't always all that it cracked up to be.   Cameo from Jet and Sokka.


**Disclaimer: If Avatar belonged to me, there would be more pirates. **

**A/N: Pirates! Jet and Sokka cameo. **

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"Haha! This is fantastic!" Aang shouted excitedly.

"I never would have guessed it was actually here!" Zuko admitted.

"It's Captain Roku's lost treasure! Just think, Zuko! Lost for two generations, this stuff is going to be worth a fortune!"

"We have one big problem though. We still got to get it back to town. How do we get it out of here?" Zuko pondered out loud.

The small cave they were in could only be gotten to by diving under water. Which meant they would have to take it under water to get it out. If they tried to do it all by hand, it would take them hours. Even then, they were not sure how it would work for them to carry it back. They had used a small row boat to get here, but they couldn't risk going back and getting anything.

"Zuko! Water barrel!" Aang said.

Zuko's face lit up. In the old cave along with the treasure was not only a supply of very old styled pirate clothes, but also a few water barrels and barrels of things neither Aang nor Zuko wanted to open due to its strange smell.

He walked over and grabbed one of the barrels. He wouldn't vouch for all of them, but the one he grabbed was empty. Zuko and Aang began loading the gold into the barrel as fast as possible. Zuko watched it fill with gold coins and small gems. There were a few trinkets and other bits of jewelry that seemed to be covered in various gems. They managed to fit the last of it in and Zuko worked to secure the lid tightly.

Aang and Zuko both worked to tip the barrel carefully on its side. Zuko climbed into the water and Aang carefully rolled the barrel to him. He had to shove the thing with all his might, but the giving sand beneath his feet helped. Zuko managed to get it safely out the under water passage and out the water cave. It took the both of them to once again get the thing onto dry land with a lot of tugging and pulling.

They both stood beside the tiny row boat. Their eyes traveled to the large rain barrel that weighed more then both of them to the small boat and back.

Aang began, "It wil-"

Zuko interrupted his thoughts, "No it wont."

"But we can mak-"

"No we can't."

The younger boy sighed knowing he was right. They both turned around to face the jungle that lurked behind them. They knew the town was on the other side. The boat had been the fastest way here, but it seemed they would have to take the scenic route back.

Together the two of them started pushing the barrel through the woods. Zuko managed to keep the thing rolling along, but Aang helped his progress by trying to clear as much of the path as possible. A few times they had to pull and tug the thing out of some unforeseen crack or crevice.

The first time they stopped for a moments break was at the top of a hill. They were in the middle of discussing the best way of getting it down without losing control of it when a foot contacted with Zuko's jaw and the lost grip on the barrel mixed with his momentum back sent him and the barrel tumbling down the hill. The boy who seemed to swing out of no where looked at the shocked face Aang was making as he watched Zuko and the barrel tumble.

"Didn't we lose you in town, Jet?" Aang asked as he rolled his eyes.

"You can never fully lose me. I was tailing you guys all alon-" Jet was interrupted by Aang's fist that collided with his jaw.

Aang looked at the boy who was now picking himself up off the ground and said, "Just admit it that we lost you and you found us in the forest."

"If I do, will you tell me what is in the barrel?"

"Not a chance."

Jet took off down the hill and surprise caused Aang to lag behind for a moment before he was joining in on the chase. Zuko was attempting to gain control of the speeding barrel. He had managed to grab hold, but the weight and momentum kept him from keeping his grip for long. His heart raced as he saw the edge of a river come into view at the bottom of the hill. He struggled to get in front of the barrel and just barely could he tell he was managing to slow it down. Hands grabbed onto the barrel and Zuko looked up and glared at Jet.

"Hands off!"

"Do you want the thing to go into the river?" Jet asked.

A devious smile crossed Zuko's face and he moved out of the barrels way and let it finish its downward movement. Jet was too wrapped up in the barrel and went off the small embankment with it right into the river. Aang started laughing as Jet dragged himself up the other side of the river. He turned to Zuko, but Zuko's eyes were glued on the barrel that was bobbing on the waters surface as it washed away.

"You guys wouldn't dare!" Jet yelled to them

Simultaneously, they jumped into the river and started swimming after the barrel. The only good thing about the river was that they seemed to lose Jet in the process.

Aang was letting out cries of victory as they reached the barrel, but Zuko quickly saw the reason why Jet would speculate they wouldn't dare. It took the form of a large waterfall that they were just very quickly about to go over. Aang saw it and gave a few pointless peddles to try and get away, but Zuko knew it would do no good.

Curses flew from both Aang and Zuko's mouth as the toppled over the waterfall. It was a long drop. One Zuko never wanted to repeat ever again, but Aang seemed to gather much amusement. Zuko had to swim for the surface and fight the waterfall raging downward torrent. He knew they were lucky that it was deep, but the water fall seemed to flow almost directly out into the ocean.

After a few moments of waiting, they realized the barrel wasn't coming back up. They took turns diving and searching for it at the bottom, but after hours passed and the discovery of only two gold coins, they knew they had to give it up for lost.

Dejectedly, they walked back to town. The trip was much faster without the barrel they both had to admit. They went to the bar that the rest of the crew were supposed to meet them. They had both agreed during the walk that they would use one of the coins to get themselves as much drink as possible and try to come up with some idea of where the rest of the treasure might be.

As they sat out on the terrace of the bar, drinking their fill in the hot summer sun, Sokka came along. He took one look at them and frowned. Sokka seemed to catch the glint on the table and saw their lone gold coin and reach out and picked it up.

"Where did you guys get this?" He asked.

A playful grin crossed Aang's mouth and he said, "You'll never believe this!"

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FN: Prompt: "You'll never believe it!" (#23 of 50)


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